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Michael Smith Health Research BC welcomes Dr. Geoff Payne as President and CEO
The Michael Smith Health Research BC Board of Directors welcomes Dr. Geoff Payne as President and Chief Executive Officer effective today (November 3, 2025).Â
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2026 Research Trainee competition: call for applications
Health Research BC is excited to launch the 2026 Research Trainee competition, supporting early-career health researchers across BC.
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Announcing the 2025 Research Trainee awardees
Health Research BC is proud to fund 35 emerging researchers through the 2025 Research Trainee Program.
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REGISTRATION OPEN: Putting Patients First 2026
Save your spot for the seventh Putting Patients First conference on Tuesday March 3, 2026. Join us free of charge in-person in Vancouver, BC, or virtually.
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Bridging the gaps: Why research impact can elude us — and what we can do about it
Reflecting on eight years as President & CEO, Dr. Bev Holmes shares her takeaways and suggestions for those working in the research system.
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Building a healthier future: Announcing the 2025 Scholar and Health Professional-Investigator awardees
26 outstanding scientists and health professionals will receive Michael Smith Health Research BC Scholar and Health Professional-Investigator (HP-I) salary awards, providing the support they need to expand their impact.
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BC SUPPORT Unit
The BC SUPPORT (Support for People & Patient-Oriented Research & Trials) Unit supports, patient-oriented research throughout BC to answer research questions that matter to patients and improve health care.
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Clinical Trials BC
Clinical Trials BC supports clinical trial investigators, sites and institutions to ensure a world-class destination for clinical trials. Focusing on infrastructure and capacity building with a collaborative approach, we enable clinical trial excellence across British Columbia.
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Research Ethics BC
Research Ethics BC supports a province-wide, harmonized system for research ethics reviews of studies conducted in multiple geographic areas involving the resources, people, patients or data from more than one BC research institution. Our harmonized ethics review model co-created with BC health research partners, is now in use by all BC health authorities, most research universities, and many colleges.
About Us
We fund people and research, and we partner on shared opportunities. Funded by our provincial government, we support a health research system that improves health and health care and strengthens the economy.
Our programs build research careers, our investments advance priority research, and our expertise accelerates the use of research evidence.
We acknowledge with respect and humility that our offices are located on the unceded, ancestral, and traditional lands of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.
We also acknowledge the diverse First Nations across British Columbia, who have inherent rights rooted in the connection to their lands and waters, which have never been surrendered. In the spirit of reconciliation, we aim to practice cultural safety, value Indigenous ways of knowing, and respect the rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples.
Current Funding Opportunities
Cancer Research Society Operating Grants
We’re partnering with the Cancer Research Society to co-fund up to two BC-based research projects focused on Indigenous cancer health and prevention, environmental and occupational cancer risks, biomarker identification of carcinogenic exposure, and mechanisms of carcinogenesis. $140,000 over two years is available to successful applicants. Submit LOI by December 10.
Research Trainee Program
Letter of Intent deadline is November 27, 2025. Supports the best and brightest health researchers in training to enable career development and support world-class health research in BC.
Health Research BC-Mitacs Industry-Based Funding Opportunity
Through a partnership with Mitacs, the program provides graduate students and postdoctoral fellows with a placement at a life sciences company in order to gain business skills within the sector.
Applications are now open for:
Latest News
News
Listening to what can go UnHEARD in Northern BC resource development
13 November 2025
Research in northern BC is helping rural communities shape fairer, healthier decisions about major industrial projects — using tools that link environment, community, and health data.
News
Michael Smith Health Research BC welcomes Dr. Geoff Payne as President and CEO
3 November 2025
The Michael Smith Health Research BC Board of Directors welcomes Dr. Geoff Payne as President and Chief Executive Officer effective today (November 3, 2025).Â
News
2026 Research Trainee competition: call for applications
30 October 2025
Health Research BC is excited to launch the 2026 Research Trainee competition, supporting early-career health researchers across BC.